


Détente

by thewightknight



Series: Redemption Is Not a Dirty Word [4]
Category: Aquaman (2018), DC Extended Universe
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Enemies, Gen, Political Alliances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-16
Updated: 2019-01-16
Packaged: 2019-10-10 23:36:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17435627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewightknight/pseuds/thewightknight
Summary: Arthur brings Orm to the talks with the Fishermen kingdom.





	Détente

Talking. Nothing but swimming around and talking. Her father had never told her how much of ruling would be like this, Scales thought, as she swished her tail in annoyance. Of course, he hadn’t expected for her to inherit the throne for years to come.

And the things they were talking about. Rebuilding and concessions – none of it would replace what was lost. And there were folk on both sides still pushing for marriage. How would that solve anything? It would only disgrace her father’s memory, for her to take his murderer as her spouse.

They were not a warlike people, but whenever Scales thought of Orm, her hands itched for a spear.

The talking continued, and she tried to pay attention, but she’d made herself too agitated. Why they were still discussing anything when Arthur had left, she didn’t know. Atlanna and Vulko continued to talk but she didn’t bother to listen. No binding decisions could be made without the presence of the king. This was a waste of all of their time.

 

Orm was surprised when Arthur made an appearance in the middle of the morning. Arthur had warned him he’d be absent, due to the talks he hated so much. He was even more surprised when Arthur spoke.

“Come on.  Need your input on something.”

They didn’t speak as they swam. He suspected where they might be going, but it was a surprise to have his suspicions confirmed when Arthur led him to one of the great halls where audiences were held.

Silence fell as the Fishermen all gaped in astonishment at his presence. It was broken by a strangled scream. Her advisors caught her before Scales could charge him, and she writhed in their grasp, glaring at him with murderous intent through the waters that separated them.

“No. Let her come,” Orm said, laying an arm on Arthur’s arm when his brother started to protest. Glances were exchanged, and reluctantly, one by one, the princess’ advisors released her.

It took her a heartbeat to realize she was free, and another to cross the room to him. There was another surge of bodies as she drew the dagger at her belt, but Orm held up his hand.

“No,” he repeated. “This is her due.”

The metal pressed against his throat, but went no further. Her eyes bored into him, hatred burning bright within, but he could see her at war with herself. Despite her actions, her people were peaceful folk, not prone to violent acts. It was a gamble, placing himself at her mercy like this. But he’d spent so much of his life playing the odds and this was just one more challenge.

As a final test he broke their staring contest, letting his eyes rest on one of the lanterns that hung around the room. Atlanteans had fallen beneath the guns of her ship during their battle, but he was sure she’d never taken a life with her own hands, and by breaking her gaze he created a distance between them. It was more impersonal this way. It would make it easier for her.

Orm felt his skin part beneath the edge of the blade, tasted his own blood in the water, and then it was gone. Ripples of water pressed against him as she swam away, past him and out the door through which he’d just entered the room.

“Does that mean the talks are over for the day?” he asked Arthur as he pressed his fingers to the cut.

 

 

That evening Atlanna brought him his dinner. There was enough for two, and she sat down with him. They ate in silence at first, Orm with a hearty appetite and Atlanna picking at her food. He could feel the worry radiating off of her, but waited for her to speak instead of trying to comfort him. She disapproved of his decision, he could tell, but respected it, and he loved her for it.

“She’s asked to speak to you,” Atlanna told him at last. She had no need to mention who ‘she’ was.

“Very well. Where are we to meet?”

“We’ll send her to you, I think.”

“It will be nice to have more company.”

Atlanna shook her head. “You worry me, son.”

“I don’t mean to, mother.”

“I’ve just found you again. I don’t want to lose you so soon after.”

“I don’t think you will. Not from the Fisherman Princess, at least. She had her chance and did not take it, yes?”

He could tell that didn’t ease his mother’s worry.

“Send her to me. Let us talk. No harm will come from it.”

“You sound so sure of that, my son.”

It wasn’t much later that he heard the sound of the opening of the grates that separated his pool from the outside waters. A blue and gold streak shot in, circling the confines of the pool before surfacing.

“They think I should speak to you,” Scales said, hatred dripped from every word. “They think that will make me more amenable to their plan.”

“Will it?” he asked.

“No,” she spat. And then “I should have finished you.”

“Yes,” he agreed. His acquiescence confused her. She swam back and forth beneath him, still glaring at him, muttering to herself. He pretended not to watch her, focusing on the page in front of him as he tried to make out her words.

“You killed my father.”

“I did.”

She expected him to try to defend his actions, he knew, and when he didn’t, she grew more agitated. Water splashed up out of the pool with the strength of her motions and he shifted to keep his book dry.

“What is that you read?” she asked at last.

“A story my brother gave me, full of legends of the surface world.” She didn’t speak again, so to fill the silence he began to read aloud. Before his voice could grow tired, she was gone, the clanging of the gate vibrating through the water to announce her leaving.

“Well,” he said to the now empty pool. “That could have gone worse.”

 

 

Her advisors waited for her outside, their expressions both hopeful and fearful. Favoring them each with a scowl, she swam away, leaving them to scurry in her wake. When they reached the rooms assigned to them, she went directly to her private quarters, but paused before entering.

“I will agree to the marriage,” she told them, closing the door before they could react to her words.

She’d been right not to kill him, she thought as she swam away. That would have ended things too quickly. No, this was the right action to take. If she’d killed him, she couldn’t make him suffer.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all so much for the love for this series. Hope this doesn't leave you hanging too badly.
> 
> If you want to say hi, [check out my profile](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewightknight/profile) for where I’m currently hanging out on this here internet thing.


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